When it’s all you’ve known,
you’ll start to rebel
about sixteen years in.
Still, you’ll grit your teeth
and trudge on through,
because someday, it will end.

When it’s all you’ve known,
you’ll choose to do extra time
when the manditory’s over.
You’ll sit in a cage
and dream of adventure
and plod on because you should,
but it’s easier now counting down
the moments till it ends.

When it’s all you’ve known,
but you’re finally free,
you’ll laugh, you’ll dance, you’ll sing.
You’ll call your friends to rejoice with you—
the world is yours!
Opportunity beckons.
Every day’s a delight.

When it’s all you’ve known,
and it’s shrinking further behind,
but the future stays an enigma,
you’ll remember the torture
and compare doldrums with freedom
that steadily loses its glow.
You’ll start to wish you were back again,
back in what you know.